JACKSON — The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) on Friday reported 181 new cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, identified by statewide testing, and three new deaths.
The COVID-19 related deaths were confirmed in Chickasaw, Pontotoc and Tippah counties.
The new statistics push the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 1,358, with 29 deaths. MSDH updates its map and statistics each morning with test results from the previous day.
For the first time, MSDH on Friday released data about positive cases discovered in long-term care facilities in Mississippi, noting that COVID-19 has been confirmed in 28 such facilities around the state. The following number of long-term care facilities in counties are shown to have COVID-19 infections: Amite 1, Bolivar 1, Calhoun 1, Chickasaw 1, Forrest 1, Hancock 2, Harrison 1, Hinds 2, Jackson 1, Lauderdale 3, Leflore 1, Lincoln 1, Madison 1, Marion 1, Monroe 1, Newton 1, Oktibbeha 1, Pearl River 1, Prentiss 1, Smith 1, Tunica 1, Union 1, Warren 1 and Yazoo 1.
"Long-term care facilities like nursing homes are considered high-risk locations because their residents are older or in poor health. Even one case of COVID-19 in these facilities among residents or employees is considered an outbreak," MSDH noted in a statement. "We investigate residents, staff and close contacts of infected individuals for possible exposure."
The latest reported COVID-19 case totals for counties in the area of Tallahatchie County area are as follow, with the previous day's totals in parenthesis and the number of reported deaths in bold:
» Coahoma: 26 (23)
» Grenada: 4 (4)
» Lafayette: 21 (16) 1
» Leflore: 21 (20) 1
» Panola: 8 (8) 1
» Quitman: 4 (4)
» Sunflower: 13 (12) 1
» Tallahatchie: 2 (2)
» Yalobusha: 7 (7)
Additional information, including complete county-by-county case statistics, preventive recommendations and more, is available at the MSDH website at http://healthyms.com/covid-19.
The Mississippi Coronavirus Hotline offers answers to questions about COVID-19. Call anytime: 877-978-6453.
